Dry-separating machine



Dec. 18, 1928. 1,695,235@

R. w, ARMs r DRY SEPARATING MACHINE had April 1e, 1924 s sheets-sheet 1I h23/5 33/2 y yl' I 'C5 i/ B7 B8 y n ,B7 134 v///r l BIO n J/a/7 P/1/0'i6 V i2;

6L D fl/# l E 2 D @j I 7 #I i I2 A6 6 a c o G \v 5f im o /Jfl Dec. 1s,1929. 1,695,569

R. W. ARMS DRY S EPARATI NG MACHINE Filed April 1e, 1924 5 sheets-sheet2 Dec. 18, '1928. 1,695,569

R; W. ARMS v DRY SEPARATING MACHINE Fi-led April 16, 1924 3sheets-sheet, 5

lzvemo? lfatented Dec. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAY W. ARMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERTS SCHAFERCOH-IPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

DRY-SEPABATING MACHINE.

Application led April 16, 1924. Serial No. 706,853.

My invention relates to improvements in an' separatlng tables and hasfor one object to provlde a new and improved form of air -separatingtable 'whereby granular material may be separated or classified byweight by the combined action of a vibratory supporting the table and asupporting column of air or gasupon whichthe ranular materlal is withthe cooperation o the table carried. Another object of my invention isto provide a table wherein classification and concentration of thelighter particles may be rapidly and easil feiected. Another object isto provide a ta le wherein the angle of inclination of the supportingtable and its cooperation with theair or gas-column may be adjusted.Another object is to provide a light, durable, easily manufactured andeasily operated device. Otherl objects will appear from time.

to time in the specification and claims.

My invention isA illustrated more or less dagrammatically in thelaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation in partsection;

Figure 2 is an end elevation;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation;

Figure 4 is a planview;

Figure 5 is a section along the line of 5 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a section along the line 6 6 qf Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a section along the line 7-7 of4 Figure 4;

Fkigure 8 is an underside plan view of the dec Figure 9 is a sectionalong the line 9--9 of Figure 4;

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the alr chimney.

Like parts are indicated by like characters through the specication anddrawings.l

A is a main frame, A1 an oscillating ltable made up of an oscillatingframe A2 and perforate deck or screen A. The `oscillating frame has ears'A projecting outwardly therefrom pivoted to `an oscillating shaft A5supported by links A pivoted on the frame A. The links A7 pivoted on theoscillating frame at one end are pivoted at the other end on slides Aswhich are vertically adjustable on the main frame A to support theoscillating table leaving it free to' oscillate but making it possibleto adjust it angularly about the oscillating shaft Al5 in a planeparallel with the line of oscillation. A9 is an eccentric bearing on themainframe carrying an eccentric shaft A1 having an eccentric A11 drivinan eccentric rod A12 engaging at its free en the oscillating shaft A5.A13 is a pulley on the eccentric shaft-driven 'by a belt A from anysuitable source of power.

. B is a frame hinged on the oscillating frame A2 for angular movementabout a line perpendicular. to the oscillating shaft A. f It carries theperforate deck A3. B1, B2 are standards projecting upwardly fromtheframe A2 slotted to engage holding bolts B3 on the frame B wherebythe frames A2 andB may be locked in angular relation. B, Bl5 aretransverse struts, each of them pivoted at one' end on one of the framesand slotted on the other for engagement with a holdin bolt on the 'frameso that when the bolts are oosened for angular adjustment of the frame,these struts may work in or out. When the bolts are tightened, thesestruts are tightened up so as to resist lateral thrust in eitherdirection between the two frames, thus locking them together as a rigidunit and protecting the frame from torsional strain caused by thevibratory movement applied to the frame A2. B", B7 are imperviousportions of the deck A, there being boundary walls B8, B9 intersectingat one corner of the rectangular frame Bv and bounding two sides of thervious portion of the deck. B1", is an inchned wall bounding theinclined portion of the cross section of the pervious deck. 'Y B12 is achute carried on the deck As and discharging thereupon. Bw is a spoutIdischarging material to be separated into the chute.

The pervious deck is made up referably of a thin sheet of perforate zincthere beforate zinc and at one side of the perforate portion of the deckinclined to the line of reciprocat-ion there is a strip of cheeseclothC2 or other loosely woven fabric interposed between the zinc C and thescreen fabric C1. This cheesecloth has for its purpose to retard the airflowing upwardly through the perforations in the zinc and the screencloth. C3, Cs are riilles projecting upwardly from the surface of thepervious portion of the lll) deck parallel with the -line ofreciprocation. These ritlles taper downwardly from the discharge endtoward and terminate at the edge of the resistance area where thecheesecloth is located.

Beneath the pervious portion of the deck in line with the rilles aresupporting beams or cross members C4 built into the frame and furnishingan adequate support for the deck. The riles themselves are angle membersfastened through the pervious'deck to the supporting members C". Carriedon these supporting members are a series of relatively thin flexibleseparately adjustable shutters C5 whereby the supply of air to variousportions of the deck may be adjusted, as indioated in the variousdrawings, by bending these shutters.

The discharge portion of the pervious deck extends from the point Xacross to the point Y, thence up to the point Z. The pervious portion ofthe deck is continued asV shown in Figure 7 by an impervious extension Ddischarging onto inclined chute surfaces D1' which in turn dischargesinto troughs D2, D3, D4. Deflector blades D5 are mounted on the chutesD1 and may be moved to cut and distribute the flowing sheet of material,there being preferably two of them. These two blades are so positionedthat they divide the sheet of material as it flows ol the table into4three sections looking at Figure 4 for instance, the right hand part ofthe sheet takes the material running olf from the point, to a point justshort of the` end of the ,riilles This material is purecoal. The lefthand section of the sheet comprises the material from the point Z to apoint just beyondthe rilles. This is pure rock or refuse. The balance,of the sheet is between the right and left hand portions and comprisespart coal and part refuse and is called middlings and the two deflectorsDs may be adjusted with respect to each other and to the total width ofthe sheetdepending upon the condition of the sheet and thewidth of themiddling zone so as to give any desired classificatlon or grouping.

E is a chimney to which air or gas under pressure is fed from any'suitable source through the pipe E1. This chimney extends upwardly toconform to' the cross section of the pervious portion of the deck. Ez 1sa ybellows'attach'ed to the upper periphery of the chimney E at itsbottom and to the undersideof the deckat lits top extending up throughthe frame A2 so that the bellows closes the gap between the chimney 'andthe pervious deck no matter what the angle of inclination and no matterwhat the position during reciprocation. This bellows is preferablyattached to the chimney by means of a binding strip Ea nailed inposition to hold the bellows tight and, attached to the deck by means ofbinding strips E. The deck is held in place on the frame B by bolts E".

l as follows Air or gas under pressure is fed upwardly through a chimneyand discharged upwardly through the pervious surface of the deck. Theonly control ofthis air is by the series of permanently bent adjustableshutters which equalize or adjust the flow of airimmediately below thepervious deck so as to provide the proper supply. The deck isreciprocated in a direction parallel with the ritlles. Granular coal orother material isfedonto the deck ythrough the chute at one cornerthereof, the reciprocation of the deck in cooperation with the throwgiven to it by the supporting links causes the material to feed out in adirection parallel with the rilles. Grdinarily the deck would beinclined upwardly from the feed, material would feed up against theforce of gravity along the rilles. The inclination of the links willgive an up and down movement to the deck and material will be thrown upand vibrated in a vertical direction to some extent by the movement ofthe deck. The air forced upwardly through the deck tends to carry thesheet of granular mamaterial to move across the line of reciprocation,the heavier particles gravitating tothe bottom of the sheet will becaught by the riffles and constrained to a movement parallel with them,the lighter particles, like coal, will be permitted to travel downwardlyacross the direction of reciprocation and since the deck is completelycovered by a sheet of moving materials, movement of the coal across thelower edge of, the deck looking at Figure 1 will take place. Thismaterial will be cleanV and there will be substantially no refuse withit. As the refuse moves out, being in smaller quantities than the coaland as the coal moves down across the lie'of reciprocation the sheet ofmaterial becomes thinner, the air resistance less and the'efect of theconcentrating or classification action of the air column andreciprocation will be less accurate owing to the boiling of the sheet ofmaterial.l

In order to compensate for this, the cheese cloth is used so as toprovide a concentration zone where the refuse is concentrated as itcommences its desired travel beyond the ends of the riftles. There willbe a middling Zone between the clean coal and pure refuse just about theends of the riiiles and the operator gets satisfactory results byadjusting the deflecting blades back and forth so as to divide thelthree zones as they discharge over the table to throw the coal in onechute, the mididlings in another, and the refuse in another, Materialvaries Iconstantly and it is necessary to be able to change the point ofseparation from time to time to take care of the difference in product.The purpose of the adjusting blades beneath the deck is to compensatefor the different thicknesses of the sheet of material as it thins out.This compensation Abeing made once and for all to take care of thegeneral type of material being treated and the general condition underwhich separation takes place. It will be noted that the material isnowhere banked up and there is nowhere any obstruction otferedto itstravel except the obstruction offered by the riifles to the crossmovement of the heavier particles. The result is that the material isalways freely moving except that the heavier parti- V' cles whichsegregate down' through the bed when they come into engagement with theriflies are compelled tochange their movement from a diagonal pathinclined to the riliies to a path generally lparallel with the rififesbeneath the flowing sheet of coal and the path of the heavier particlesis thus at the bottom of the sheet` or bed inclined to the path of thecoal. When the device is in operation, it willbe noted that in everyinstance the sheet of material is thickest toward'the feed` end andthins out both in a direction parallel tof4 and in a directionvperpendicular to the riiiles and at-some point on'the zonev of reducedair pressure the' bale or sheet of refuse will peter out and nomaterial' will go beyond the terminal zone but will traveldown parallelwith the zone.

I claim:

1. A dry separating table comprising a reciprocating pervious deck,riliies onvthe uppersurface thereof extending generally parallel withthe line of reciprocation. means for feeding granular material to thedeck at one end, means for catching material discharged from thedeck'adjacent the other.

end and means for supplying air under pressurev to and forcing itupwardly through the deck to partially support the material, there/being a zone adjacent t-he termination of the riliies where thesupporting effect of the gas is reduced, means located at the dischargeedge of the table for dividing the flow of may terial thereacross tosegregate it. said means being movable along the deck to permitadjustment and division of the material.

' 2. A dry separating ftable comprising a reciprocating pervious deck,ritlies on the upper surface thereof extending generally parallel withthe line of reciprocation, means for feeding granular material to thedeck at one end, means for catching material discharged from the deckadjacent t-he other end and means for supplying air under pressure toand forcing it upwardlythrough the deck to partially support thematerial, there being a zone intersecting the line of movement of thematerial and adjacent the ends of the riftles where the supportingeffect of the gas isreduced, means located at the discharge edge of thetable for dividing the .flow of material thereacross to classify it.

3. In an air separating table, a reciprocating frame, a pervious deckhinged thereon for angular adjustment about a generally horizontal line,vertically disposed guide members interposed between the frame and thedeck and means for positioning said guide members to hold the parts inadjusted angular relation, means associated with said guide members forpreventing 'relative lateral movement of deck and frame.

4. In an air separating table, a reciprocating frame, a pervious deckhinged thereon for angular adjustment about a generally horizontal line,vertically disposed guide members interposed between the frame and thedeck and means` for positioning said guide members to hold the parts inadjusted angular relation. means associated with said guide members forpreventing relative lateral movement of deck and frame, said meanscomprising adjustable diagonal struts interposed between the deck andthe frame.

5. In an air separating table, a reciprocating frame, a perviousdeckhinged thereon, guide and supporting members projecting upwardly fromthe frame and in adjustable engagement with the deck at a point removedfrom the hinge, diagonall struts--extending- Vment to change the angleof inclination of the frame, a pervious deck pivoted on the frame,adjusting means adapted to vary theI angle of inclination of the deckwith respect to the frame, an air supply chimney projecting upwardlythrough the fixed support and carried thereby and a bellows interposedbetween the upper extremity of the air chim- 'ney and the pervious deck.

7. In an air separating table. a pervious deck, means for dischargingair upwardly under pressure therethrough, means for rellt) ducing theflow of air through the deck along one side thereof, riles projectingupwardly from the deck and terminating at the zone f lower pressure.

8. In an air separating table, a pervious deck. means for dischargingair upwardly under pressure therethrough, means for reducing the flow ofair-through the deck along one side thereof, riies project-.ingupwardlyfrom'the deck and terminating at the zone of lower pressure, the ritliesdecreasing in height toward their termination at the zone of lowerpressure.

9. In an air separating table. a pervious deck, means for dischargingair upwardly underA pressure therethrough, means for reducing the flowof air through the deck along one side thereof,'riilles'projectingupwardly from the deck and terminating at the zone of lowerpressure,means for reciprocating the deck in a direction parallel with the lineof the riiiies.

.10. In an air separating table, a pervious deck, means for dischargingair upwardly under pressure therethrough, means for reducing the flow ofair through 'the deck one-side thereof, riiiles projecting upwardly fromthe deck and terminating at the zone of lower pressure, the riffiesdescreasing in height toward their terminationat the zone of lowerpressure, means for reciprocating the deck in a direction parallel withthe line of the riHes.

11. In an air separating table, a pervious deck, lmeans for dischargingair upwardly under pressure therethrough, means for reduring the flow ofair through the deck along one side thereof, riflies projecting upwardlyfrom the deck and terminating at the zone oi' lower pressure, means forfeeding material to the deck at a point far removed from the zone oflower pressure and for conveying it along the deck toward such zone ina. direction parallel with the riiiles.

12. In an air separating table, a pervious deck, means for dischargin'gair upwardly under pressure therethrough, means for reducing the flow ofair through the deck alongA one side thereof, riiiies projectingupwardly from the deck-and terminating at the zone of lowerl pressure,the riiiies decreasingl in height toward their termination at the zoneof lower pressure, means for feeding material to the deck at a point farremoved from the zone of lower pressure and for conveying it along thedeck toward such zone in a di? rection parallel with the riies.

13.. 'In an air separating table, a pervious deck, means for dischargingair upwardly under pressure therethrough, means for reducing the flow ciair through the deck along side thereof, riftles projecting upwardlyfrom the deck and terminating at the acne of lower pressure, means Jtorfeeding mate to the at a point far vremedied :trein the zone of lowerpressure and for conveying it along the deck toward such zone inadirection parallel with the riftles, the riflles decreasing in heightfrom the feed .toward the discharge end.

14. In an air separating tablea pervious deck, means for discharging airupwardly under pressure therethrough, means for reducing the flow of airthrough the deck along one side thereof, riles projecting upwardly fromthe deck and termina-ting at the zone of lower pressure. the riiliesdescreasing in height toward their termination at the zone of lowerpressure, means for feeding material to the deck at a point far removedfrom the zone of Avlower pressure and for conveying it along the decktoward such zone in a direction parallel with the riies, the riiiiesdecreasing in height from the feed toward the discharge end.

15J In an air separating table, a pervious deck, means for reciprocatingit, means for discharging air4 upwardly under pressure therethrough,means for reducing the pressure exerted by the air a-lon one side of theperforate deck, means for lfyeeding material to be separated to the deckat a point removed from the zone of lower pressure, riflesextendingparallel with the lineof reciprocation graduall decreasing in heighttoward and terminatmg at the zone of lower pressure.

16. In an air separating table, a pervious deck, means for reciprocatingit, means for discharging air upwardly under pressure therethrough,means for reducing the pressure exerted by the air along one side of theperforate deck, means for feeding material to be separated to the deckat a point removed from the zone of lower pressure, riflos flesextending parallel with the line of re ciprocation gradually decreasingin height toward and terminating 'at the zone of lower pressure, thedeck being downwardly inclined in a direction across the riflles `fromthe material supply point.

17. In an air separating table, a'pervious deck, means for reciprocatingit, means for discharging air upwardly under pressure therethrough,ymeans for reducing the pressure exerted by the air along one side ofthe perforate deck, means for feeding material to be separated, to thedeck at apoint removed from the zone of lower pressure, riles extendingparallel with he line of reciprocation gradually decreasi g in heighttoward and terminating at the 'zone of lower pressure, the deck beinginclined in a direction across the ritlles from the material supplypoint.

18. In an air separating table, a pervious deck, means fer reciprocatingit, means forv discharging air upwardly under pressure therethrough,means for reducing the pres sure exerted hy lair along one side fr@ theperforms deck, for

to be separated to the deck at a point removed from the zone of lowerpressure, rifies extending parallel with the line of reciprocationgradually decreasing in height toward and terminating at the zone oflower pressure, the deck being inclined Vin a direction across theritliesfrom the material sup- Ply. of inclination.

19. In an air separating table, a pervious deck, means for reciprocatingit, means for" discharging air upwardly under pressure therethrough,means for reducing the pressure exerted by the air along one side of theperforate deck, means for feeding material to be separated to the deckata point removed from the zone of lower pressure, riffles extendingparallel with the line of reciprocation gradually decreasing in heighttoward and terminating at the zone of lower pressure, the deck beinginclined in a direction along the riflles.

20. In an air separating table, a pervious deck, means for reciprocatingit, means for discharging air upwardly under pressure therethrough,'means for reducing the pressure exerted by the air along one side ofthe perforate deck, means for -feeding material to be separated to 'thedeck at a point removed from the zone'of lower pressure, riffiesextending parallel with the line of reciprocation graduall decreasing inheight toward and terminating at the zone oflower pressure, the deckbeing inclined'in a direction along the riiles, and means' for adjustingthe angle of inclination.

21. In an air separating table, a pervious deck, means for reciprocatingit, meansl for discharging air upwardly under pressure therethrough,means `for reducing the pressure exerted by the air along one side ofthe perforate deck, means for feeding material to 'he separated to thedeck at a point removed from the zQne-of lower pressure, rifllesextending parallel with the line of reciprocation gradually decreasingin height toward and terminating at. the zone of lower pressure, thedeck being downwardly inclined in a direction across the rilifles fromthe material supply point and upwardly inclined along the riiies towardtheir lower ends, there being means for adjusting the angle ofinclination of the deck.

22. In an air separating table, a rectangu 2. In an air separatingtable, a rectanguy lar deck pervious throughout its entire area exceptat two diagonally opposed corners, means Jfor discharging air upwardlyunder pressure through the pervious portion and point and meansfor'adjusting the angle= -means for reducing the pressure exerted by theair in a zone along one diagonal side of the pervious portion of thedeck.

24. In an air separating table, a rectangular deck pervious throughoutits entire area except at two diagonally opposed corners, means fordischarging air upwardly under pressure through the pervious portion andmeans for reducing the pressure exerted by the air in a zone along onediagonal side of the pervious-portion of the deck, riiles pro Jectingupwardly from the deck and terminating at said zone. v

25. 'In an air separat-ing table, a rectangular deck pervious throughoutits entire area except at two diagonally opposed corners, means fordischarging air upwardly under pressure through the pervious portion andmeans for reducing the pressure exerted by the air in a zone along onediagonal side ofthe pervious portion of the deck, rilies projectingupwardly from the deck and terminating at said zone, said riilesdecreasing in height toward the reduced pressure zone.

26. In an air separating table, a rectangular deck pervious throughoutits entire area Iexcept at two diagonally opposed corners, means forJ'discharging air upwardly under pressure through the pervious portionand means for reducing the pressure exerted by the air in a zone alon`gone diagonal side of the pervious portion ofthe deck, ritlles projecting upwardly from the deck and terminating at .said zone, said rilesbeing parallel with one side of the-rectangle.

27. In an air separating table, a rectangular deck pervious throughoutits entire area except at two diagonally opposed corners, a wallsurrounding a part of the pervious area on two adjacent sides of therectangle and on one of the inclined sides of the pervious portion.

28. In an air separating table, a rectangular deck pervious throughoutits entire area except at two diagonally opposed corners, a wallsurrounding a part of the pervious area on two adjacent sides of therectangle and on one of the inclined sides of the ervious portion,riffles projecting upwardlly from the deck and parallel with that wallof the rectanlgle furthest removed from the inclined wa 29. In an airseparating table, a rectangular deck pervious throughout its entire areaexcept at two diagonally opposed corners, a wallsurrounding a part ofthe pervious area on two adjacent sides of the rectangle and on one ofthe inclined sides of the pervious portion, rimes projecting upwardlyfrom the deck and parallel with that wall of the rec tangleturthest'removed from the inclined wall, each rifle .decreasing inheight away from the inclined wall.

30., In an air separating table, an air per vious deck comprising acoarsely perforated plate and a screen cloth overlying it, rilesprojecting upwardly from the screen cloth and supporting bars locatedbeneath the plate in line with the riilles, the riflles terminatingshort of the edge of the perforate portion of the plate and a fabricstri of finer mesh than the screen plate interpose l between the screenand the cloth throughout the area where the riles are not located.

3l. In an air separating table, a perforate deck, a plurality of spacedribs locatedbelow and supporting it and a plurality of relatively shortbaille strips mounted on the ribs and adapted to'be bent to adjustablycontrol the flow of air through the space between the ribs to the deck.Y

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, this 31st dayof March, 1924.

RAY W. ARMS.

